MUSIC THERAPY

The music therapy program at UA was created in 1984 and it is the only degree program in the state of Alabama to offer a bachelor’s degree in music therapy (B.M. in Music Therapy). The degree leads to eligibility for professional certification. Prospective music therapy students audition for acceptance into the School of Music as well as apply for admittance into the university. The music therapy degree involves traditional music courses, such as applied lessons and music theory and music history; however, music therapy students learn guitar during freshman year and utilize guitar, piano, and voice for clinical applications. Most of the music used in music therapy sessions involves patient-preferred music, which means that students learn repertoire that spans various genres across multiple decades, such as pop, country, Motown, musicals, religious, etc.

Our music therapy program teaches students how to measure behavior, document progress, and effectively communicate approaches and outcomes utilizing appropriate clinical language for a variety of populations. This allows students to be successful in securing and maintaining jobs.

The music therapy program at UA is unique due to a strong clinical training emphasis. Music therapy students experience a scaffolding approach, in which they observe music therapy sessions starting their first semester in school. Student expectations and involvement increase throughout the freshman and sophomore years; students in their junior and senior years have multiple sessions per week. Students gain clinical experience serving various populations in the community. Because of our exemplary clinical training model, music therapy students at The University of Alabama accrue more than the 160 clinical hours as required by the American Music Therapy Association. Furthermore, our program has a full-time board certified music therapy clinical training supervisor, Dawn Sandel, who guides and assists students as they provide clinical services with various agencies throughout the community. She has been supervising music therapy practicum students and interns since early in her career. Between the extensive and supervised clinical training, music therapy students at The University of Alabama are successful at obtaining their six-month internship, board certification, and future jobs in the profession.

The music therapy degree requires four years of on-campus coursework, followed by a six-month music therapy internship (internships in the music therapy profession are typically unpaid).

Prospective students are encouraged to make an appointment to meet the music therapy faculty when they visit campus. Please contact Dr. Andrea Cevasco-Trotter at amtrotter@ua.edu.